Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
John Daley ReportingIn 2006, 283 people died on Utah's roads, it's one more than in 2005. The goal is to get the number much lower.
There's a major public awareness campaign going on right now called "Zero Fatalities." The #1 thing you can do to help reach Utah's goal, and perhaps save your own life, is to wear a seatbelt.
Behind every accident fatality, there's a story of a life cut short. That message is unmistakable. As transportation and public safety leaders reflect on the first-year results of their "Zero Fatalities" campaign.
Front and center and fortunately on the mend is a group of girls friends on a soccer team from Tooele High who were involved in a severe accident on January 2nd. Their car was cut off. The vehicles collided at high speed and they lived to tell the tale.
Lauren Howsden, Freshman, Tooele High School: "We just hit and it was scary. The next thing we knew we were all flipped around and everybody was out. It was all smoky and there was glass everywhere."
In 2006, 283 people died on Utah's roads, that's one more than last year, but 24% lower than in 2000. By far the top type of fatality is crashes where victims wore no seat belt, followed by speeding where a pedestrian died.
Q: Number one thing people could do?
John Njord, Executive Director, UDOT: "Buckle up. Buckle up. If people would buckle up we could save so many lives."
While Utah's urban population dwarfs its rural numbers, more than half the fatalities were in rural areas. Overall seatbelt use in Utah is high, about 86%, but in rural areas it's closer to 50%.
Take it from someone who knows...seatbelts work.
Rebecca DeLeeuw, Senior, Tooele High School: "We're all alive. We're all here today and I think a lot of that credit goes to wearing our seat belts."
Q: what would have happened had you not been wearing a seatbelt?
Lauren Howsden, Freshman, Tooele High School: "I think I would have flown through the windshield. I would have. Becca would have. Jenna would have. We all probably wouldn't be here."
This ambitious campaign is costing about 500-thousand dollars a year and is paid for mostly by federal funds.
The program in 2007 will focus on educating teens about the dangers of unsafe driving.
